Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-03-18


cautions.
First of all loaded all the rifles. and in
formed him that if he touched them they
would go off. He instantly tried the expert
ment with my eight-bore and it did go off,
and blew a hole right through one of hi.
oxen. which were then being driven up TO
the kraal, to say nothing of knocking him
head over heels with the recoil lie got up
considerably startled, and not at all pleased
at the loss of an OK, which he had the impu-
dence TO ask me to pay for, and nothing
would induce him to touch them again.
Put the live devils up there in the thatch,"
he said, tout of the way, or they will kill US
ALL"
Then / told him that il, when we came
back, one OF those things was missing /
would kill him and all his people by witch
craft; and if we died and he tried to steal
the things / would come and haunt him and
turn his cattle mad and his milk sour till life
was WEAKNESS, and make the devils in the
guns come ont and talk to him in a way he
would not like, and generally give him
good idea of judgment to come. After that
he swOre lie would look after them as though
they were his fathers spirit He was very
superstitOus old Kafr and great villain.
Having thus disposed of our superfluOus
gear we arranged the kit we five-Sir Henry
Good, myself UmbOpa, and the HOttentot
VentyOgel-were TO take with us on OuI
journey. 1t was small enough, but do what
we would we could not get it down under
about forty pounds man. This Is what il
consisted of:
The three express rifles and two hundred
rounds Of ammunition.
The two Winchester repeating rifles (fOi
Umbopa and VentvogeD, with two hundred
rounds OF cartridge.
Three Colt revolyers and sixty round OF
cartridge.
Five Cochrane's water-bottles, each hold.
ing four pints.
Five blankets.
Twenty-Five pounds weight of biltong
(sun-dried game tlesh).
Ten pounds weight of best mixed beads
for gifts.
A selection of medicine, including an
ounce of quinne and one or two small sur.
gical instruments.
Our knives, few sundries, such rs com
pass, matches, 4 pocket filter, tobacco,
trOwel, a bottle of brandy, and the clothes
we stood in.
This was our total equipment, a small one
indeed for such venture, but we dared not
attempt to carry any more As it was, that
load was Il heavy one per man to travel
across the burning desert with, for in such
places every additional ounce tells upon one.
But try as we would We could not see our
way to reducing it. There was nothing but
what was absolutely necessary.
With great difficulty, and by the promise
of present of good huntington each, |
succeeded in persuading three wretched
natives from the village to come with us for
tho first stage, twenty miles, and to carry
each large gOurd holding a gallon of wa
ter My object was to enable us to refill our
water-bOttC5 after the first nights march,
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human nature is prone to hesitate on the
threshold of an irrevOCablo step. We three
white men stood there by ourselves limbo
pa, assegat in hand and the rifle across his
shoulders, few PAGES ahead of IFS, looked
out ilXedly across the desert; the three hired
natives, with the gOurds OF water, and Vent
yogel, were gathered in little knot behind.
"Gentlemen," said Sir Henry, presently,
in his low, deep voice, 1--WE are going on
about rs strange journey as men can make
In this world. 1t Is very doubtful if we can
succeed In it. But we are three men who
will stand together for good or for evil to
the last And now before we start let lis for
a moment pray to the Power who shapes
the desttnles of men, and who ages since has
marked out our paths, that it may please
linn To direct our steps III accordance with
His Will"
Taking off his hat he, for the space of
minute or So, covered his face with his hands,
and Good and did likewise.
| do not say that am a first-rate praying
man, few hunters are, and rs for Sir Henry
l mover heard him speak like that before,
and only once since, though deep down in
his heart | believe he is very religious
Good, too, is pious, though very apt to swear.
Anyhow do not think ever excepting on
one single occasion, put in a better prayer in
my life than did during that minute, and
somehow felt the happier for it. Our fut
ure was So completely unknown, and ]
think the unknown aud the awful always
bring man nearer to his Maker
And now" said Sir Henry, trek"
So we started.
We saw nothing to guide us by except the
distant mountains and old Jose da Silvestra's
chart, which, considering that it was drawn
by dying and half distraught man on
fragment of linen three centuries ago. was
not very satisfactory sort OF thing tc
work on. Still, such as 1t was. our sole hope
of success depended on it. II we failed in
finding that pool Of bad water which the old
don marked rs being situated in the middle
OF the desert about sixty miles from our
StartnE-pon and rs far from the noun
tains, We must in all probability perish mis-
erab!y of thirst And To my mind the chan.
ceS OF finding il in that great sea of sand and
karoo scrub seemed almost mfnitesimal
Even surprising Da SilvcStra had marked il
right, what was there Ia prevent its having
been generations ago dried up by the sun, OF
trampeled in by game, or filled with the
drifting sand?
On we tramped silently as shades through
the night and in the heavy sand. The karoo
bushes caught our ShinS and retarded us. and
the sand got into our veldtSchoons and
Goods shooting boots. so that every few
miles we had 10 stop and empty them, but
still the night was fairly cool, though the
atmosphere was thick and heavy, giving a
sort of creamy feel to the air and we made
fair progress. 1t was very still and lonely
there in the desert, oppreSSivcly so indeed.
Good felt this and at once began to whistle
the Girl left behind me- but the notes
sounded luxubriouS in that vast place. and
he gave il up. Shortly afterward 4 little in
ctdent occurred which, though it made us
jump nj the time. gave rise to a laugh. Good,
as the holder of the co pass, which, being
sailor, OF course he thoroughly understood,
was leading, and we were toiling along in
single file behind him, when suddenly we
heapi the sound of an exclamation, and he
vanished. Next second there arose all around
YFa.N ii hs,lI